International Women’s Day Task Force
Every year, our sisterhood within the International Churches of Christ celebrates International Women’s Day during the month of March. The IWD task force is asked to gather suggestions for the theme and logo that we can share together as a fellowship. It is always so amazing to see all the love shared as women come together with their families and friends during their IWD celebrations.
The 2023 theme was “Seen and Heard.” This theme came from Genesis 16:13:Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the one who sees me?” Genesis 16:13 NLT.
The IWD task force then helped to create the logo and distribute all the materials to each Regional Family Chairwoman to pass along to the churches within their groups.
Often the IWD task force creates a one week quiet time series/devotional that is made available for all the women to enjoy as they prepare for a great celebration! We are aiming to have a different region of our fellowship create the devotionals, so we learn from each other around the world.
Webinar Task Force
The Webinar Task Force of the WST planned, organized, and hosted a webinar entitled “Raising Up Young Women Who Love God” on the 18th and the 25th of November 2023 for the Western and Eastern Hemisphere respectively.
God blessed the efforts of the sisters (Kae, Sarah, Joyce (Eastern) & Bola (Western)) as both webinars were incredibly successful as so many sisters attended virtually from all over the world.
Approximately 150 attended the Western Hemisphere Webinar and 160 plus attended the Eastern Webinar. Some sisters came together in groups in homes to watch and participate. So many sisters expressed that the lessons, the sharing, and responses of the panelist met many needs, provided inspiration, and direction.
The lessons were taught by Kelly Brown of the North River Church (Western Hemisphere) and Meegan Bliley of the Sydney Church (Eastern Hemisphere). The panelists did a fantastic job answering questions and sharing from their own lives and experiences. They were – Alexandra Ghoman (Charleston, USA), Chelsea Thorne (Boston, USA), Magdalena Hoijer (Helsinki, Finland) and Nandi Traywick (North River, USA) for the Western Hemisphere; and Melanie Darvodelsky (Auckland, New Zealand), Jayne Sim (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), Erika Valdellon (Muntinlupa, Philippines) and Anthena Salim (Jakarta, Indonesia) for the Eastern Hemisphere.
The hostesses, Sharon Gauthier (Chicago, USA) and Victoria McDowel (Stockholm, Sweden) for the Western Hemisphere and Weiching Yow (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Ketou Keditsu (India), all did a phenomenal job ensuring the event ran smoothly while keeping everyone very engaged.
International Women’s Day 2024
International Women’s Day will be celebrated all across the world on March 1-10, 2024. We are thrilled to announce the theme for the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration for our global fellowship: “Together We Thrive!” This theme is inspired by Ephesians 4:16. And for all our Spanish-speaking ministries across our fellowship we are excited to use the theme, “Juntas Prosperamos!” Efesios 4:16.
This powerful theme emphasizes the unity and collaboration among women from all walks of life, recognizing the strength that arises when we work together in faith and love. In the spirit of Ephesians 4:16, which states, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work,” our theme reminds us that when we come together, we can achieve remarkable things and further God’s mission on earth.
Let us reflect on just how special it is to be in a fellowship that represents a diversity of talents, gifts, and abilities from sisters all over the world. Through prayer, fasting, fellowship, and the shared wisdom of women within our Christian community, we will explore how our unity and collaboration can empower us to thrive, both spiritually and in our daily lives.
Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day 2024 as we come together under the banner of “Together We Thrive,” embracing the principles of Ephesians 4:16 and igniting a powerful movement of love, faith, and unity. Together, we will shine as a beacon of hope and inspiration for women everywhere, reminding all whom we reach that they too can thrive in the arms of God’s family through his power.
